A New Country 03
Another chapter in the exciting lives, of Ben and his friends. Really, I have been requested for more of A New Country I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it. Thanks to Mark of Atlanta and Arnie for their kind comments. They have provided some ideas of where the story can go. Should you have any further ideas, Im open to reasonable suggestions.
Ben returned to school on the following Monday and for a while he was asked about the helicopter ride and then about why. Mr Blackwell apologised in class to Ben and to Barry to a lesser degree for accusing them of cheating. As the day went on Ben felt life had returned to normal. That evening during prep he was called on by Familton, who was watching the class, to explain his helicopter ride to the boys. During the short flight Ben had found out very briefly how the helicopter worked and then he and his father had borrowed a book about helicopters from the local public library. So when he explained he gave enough technical details to make the talk informative as well as interesting.
Next morning Ben reported to Familtons study as normal to do his chores.
"Hi Ben, how is your behind?"
"Still a bit tender, specially when I sit on something hard."
"I have heard from Mr Blackwell what happened as well as the rumor mill, so I think you are a great chap, specially for taking a caning that was totally unjustified and then accepting Heftys apology."
"Thanks Bruce," going red with embarrassment.
"Ben Id be willing to bet that as long as you behave now, you will get away with most of the minor transgressions that you young guys get away with." Seeing Bens question in his eyes, he went on, " That doesnt mean to say if you dont do your chores properly or turn in your prep done properly that you wont get punished."
"Oh, I see."
Yes, so make sure the bed is made and my shoes are ready, Im off for my shower."
"Yes Familton."
For the rest of the term Ben stayed out of trouble. Christmas break came.
There was two weeks from the end of the term to Christmas. Ben and his father were scheduled to fly home to California the week before Christmas. Ben had been home a few days when his father came home from work.
"Dad, I thought that you would come home tomorrow so we can pack."
"Ben I have been asked to stay in New Zealand for another six months. Do you think that you can stand that?"
"Oh, I guess so."
"What is the long face for?"
"Well I was looking forward to seeing my friends back home, also Bob and Joe were going to take me surfing."
Bens dad pretended to look surprised, "I didnt know about that."
"Come on Dad, I told you last week."
"So you did, well that can still happen."
"Oh boy....."
His Dad held up a warning finger, "But, you will have to come back to New Zealand by yourself, do think that you can manage that?"
"Sure Dad."
"If I hear of any playing up on the plane you will have enough bruises on your behind, that you wont be able to sit down for at least a week."
"Ok Dad."
Ben and his father had an uneventful trip home, and Ben was happy to find that his twin cousins Bob and Joe were at the airport to meet them along with his auntie, his mothers sister.
"Hi Rob, and you too Ben," she called as they came out of immigration.
"Hi Betty, Joe and Bob, Thanks for coming to meet us."
They got back to the house with Ben telling his cousins, who were a year older than him, all about school in New Zealand.
The day after New Years day, Rob returned to New Zealand leaving Ben with his cousins. He laughingly told his sister in law that if Ben was any trouble ship him on the first plane to New Zealand, and he would be waiting at the airport and would warm his tail well for him when he arrived. Ben was happy, as his cousins had, as promised taken him surfing. They thought it was cold, but Ben assured him that the kids in Taranaki surfed in colder temperatures than what was happening at the moment, but used wet suits. At the end of January Ben returned to New Plymouth, New Zealand and got ready to go back to school.
When Ben arrived in New Plymouth his father met him at the airport and drove him to their house. "Did you have a good time surfing with Joe and Bob?"
"Yes Dad, they were great. Ill be able to show the guys here a trick or two."
"I am glad that you had a good time son, but now you have got to settle down and get to work. School is going to be important this year. I have arranged that you will have extra math and chemistry tuition this term, so that you wont fall behind when we return to the States."
"Ok Dad. Ive got a week till school, so can I go and surf?"
"Where will you get a board?"
"Well Bruce Familton wrote to me in California, and has offered for me to come and stay with him in Hawera. He is lifeguard at the local beach and he has a spare board."
"Ok I guess so, specially if he is a lifeguard. Take care Ben."
"I will Dad."
The week with Bruce Familton flew by with the boys surfing and generally having a good time.
"Ben, you have a good technique for boarding buddy. Where did you get it?"
"My cousins are a little older than I, but we have always been good friends. They taught me a lot. Also back home we have quite a few surfing movies that I have seen with the guys, and I watched how the big guys do things."
"Well most of my stuff has been watching others at the beach. This has been a good week, it will be tough going back to school next week.."
"I can always act up, so you can hit me with that bloody shoe of yours." This was said with a big grin.
"Ah Ben, you are too much, but all joking aside, it is going to make my job as head boy harder after having you here this week. I guess if I can find a reason to beat you each week, that should keep you on the straight and narrow." That was said with a grin from Bruce.
Next week the summer term as it was called started. It was the first week of February, and the sun was hot and shinning brightly all day. Ben made it through the first month of the term without getting punished. His friend Barry had got three strokes of the tawse the day before for playing around in the gym. That night in the dorm all the boys in the room had examined his reddened rear end and made loud comments about it. The noise was enough to bring the dorm prefect who had taken names and said that he was going to inform the head of the house the next day. The next morning the whole dorm of twenty boys were lined up outside of Familtons study.
Familton came out and looked at them all, "Young and Wishart, I am told that it was you both, that was making the most of the noise. Is that correct?"
"Yes Familton," they said together.
"Right the rest of you have detention and 500 lines, Beds are for sleeping in, not making enough noise to wake up the entire building. You may go."
Ben and Barry watched them go wondering what was going to happen to them.
"Right you two, follow me." He led them into his study.
"You are going to get six each. Young, you are first, bend over," as he was speaking he looked at neither of them. Just went to his desk and picked up the slipper. Barry got into the position required and bent over. The slipper fell across his shorts six times rapidly. "Stand up Young, get over here Wishart and bend over." Ben walked over to the place just vacated by his friend and bent over.
"Wishart, are you wearing underpants?" asked Familton in shocked tones after not seeing the lower leg band when Ben bent over.
"No Familton."
"Why not?"
"Because I knew I would probably get whacked this morning and Barry would also, but he got belted yesterday in the gym, so I was trying to make it fair."
"Wearing no underpants is disgusting. After you are beaten you are to go straight back to the dorm and put a pair on."
"But I have no clean ones Familton."
"Why?"
"I.....I ..... Forgot to put them out to wash."
"As I say it is disgusting. Bend over, no right over touching your toes." Again six rapid fire loud whacks sounded the last one louder than the rest. When Ben was told he could stand up, there was moisture in his eyes and he was frantically rubbing his burning behind. "I want you back here in ten minutes wearing underpants Wishart, or you will get another six."
"Yes Familton."
As they left the study, "Hey Barry, can I borrow a pair of yours?"
"Yes, ok, but you will owe me." They hurried to the dorm, Barry handed Ben a pair of underpants. Dropping his shorts on the floor, Ben stepped out of them and reached for the clean underpants that Barry was holding out.
"_s_h_i_t_ your bums red mate. Thats going to be sore later."
"Tell me something I dont know friend, come on hurry Ive only got five minutes to be back in Familtons study," as he pulled on the underpants and then his shorts. He got back to Familtons study and was able to satisfy him that he was now wearing underpants.
"Just as well Ben. I would have hated to have given you another six, but I would have if you hadnt complied, now you had better get to your lessons."
"Thanks Bruce."
He left the study, went to his locker and got what he needed for the first couple of lessons for the day. The rest of the day went smoothly. The next day, was not so good. In English he got a detention for fooling with Barry, then in math Barry got caned for fooling back with Ben. The teacher was Mr Blackthorne and he had laid on four whippy strokes. Ten minutes later Ben was caught teasing Barry by trying to tickle him.
"I dont believe this. First of all, I catch Young fooling with you Wishart, now I find you fooling with Young. Out here now." Ben stood at his desk, looked at Barry then at the rest of his grinning class mates and went to the front of the room. Mr Blackthorne already had the cane in his hand.
"Bend over and touch your toes Wishart." Ben did. He felt the cane tap his bottom across both cheeks. There was a pause, while the cane was drawn back. Ben thought, 'Im glad Ive got underpants on today. The cane swished and landed with the sharp crack sound that he had come to associate with boys being beaten. At first nothing and then a line of fire erupted along the line of the stroke. Two more strokes had landed bringing the heat in his buttocks just about to ignition. There was another pause. Ben braced himself for the final stroke, as it was well known that Mr Blackthorne unleashed the heaviest in his arsenal for the final. Instead there were two rapid fire strokes, so close together that Barry later told him that the cane didnt seem to stop moving. To Ben though it was just enough to send him over the edge, and he grunted through tightly closed lips. He could feel tears starting.
"Get up Wishart and get back to your desk, and no more nonsense or you will get more of the stick."
Ben made his way slowly back to his desk rubbing his backside frantically, ignoring all the grins and slowly sat down. For the rest of the lesson he sat quietly. Then it was lunch.
That weekend at home Bens father asked, "How are you enjoying school so far?"
"I wouldnt be bad Dad, except they are a bit keen on smashing you across the bum for all and sundry."
"Do you think that you dont deserve it then?"
"I usually do deserve it Dad, but that doesnt make it any better."
"No more incidents with misunderstanding?"
"No Dad. Why?"
"Well you are getting far better reports this year than any time in the past so something is working.. Maybe when we get back home Ill send you to a strict boarding school." The last was said with a grin, so Ben was not sure if his Dad was serious or not. "Have you decided what you want to be when you leave school yet?"
"I thought that I might follow you, Dad, into engineering."
"That might work, but a few months ago you thought that you might become a doctor, what changed your mind?"
"Well I still might become a doctor. If I dont do that, I will be an engineer. My grades are good for either."
"They are son and I am very proud of you. In a couple of weeks you are going to be fifteen. We can have a bit of a party if you want to. How many do you want to invite?"
"Only a couple, but they will have to get permission to get away from school. It would be Barry Young and Bruce Familton."
"I think that I can swing that with your house master, so let me worry about that. How do you feel about having a meal out at a hotel?"
"That would be great Dad, thanks."
"Ok, then."
A couple of Saturdays later Ben had his big dinner out with Barry and Bruce, and to his surprise his father had invited Mr Kerry.
"Hello, Mr Kerry."
"Hi Ben, and away from school, you can call me Bill."
"Ben, I invited Bill, so I can have someone my own age to talk to."
"Ok Dad, I guess us young uns would make you bored huh?" While he said that with a smile, he watched his Dad.
His Dad smiled back, "Not that you will bore me, Im sure, but I need something more substantial than the Beatles or Elvis to keep my interest up."
"Who are they Dad, Mr Wishart?" came from the boys together.
"Ok ok, you got me there, shall we eat."
After the meal they went to the movies, where a re run of The Italian Job (The original version starring Micheal Caine and Noel Coward) was showing. All enjoyed the movie as it was the first time that Ben and his Dad had seen it. The only person who had seen it before in fact was Bill Kerry and he laughed along with the rest of them. After the movie they went back to the Wisharts for coffee and supper and then Bill Kerry took Bruce and Barry back to school.
"Thanks for the great night Dad."
"Im glad that you enjoyed it Ben. Say, next weekend Ill start to teach you how to drive."
"That would be great Dad. But, are you allowed to?"
"Sure. Ive checked with Joe. He said I can use the company ute or an office car."
"What about the law?"
"Oh that, ok it is legal for you to drive in New Zealand at the age of 15. Once you have a license, there is a graduated period where you have to drive with an approved driver, then a further period of driving at certain hours etc. You have to learn all about those conditions before you sit for the license at the local police station. Here is a copy of the New Zealand Rode Code. You have to know that off by heart before you go for the test. I am told that the test is multi choice questions."
"Thanks Dad. Im tired, so Im going to bed. Good night."
"Goodnight son."
The following weekend Ben started learning to drive. He found that it was quite easy and after the first lesson could start, and stop smoothly without stalling. (The company ute had a manual gearbox so he had to manage a clutch as well as the gas and remember to push in the clutch, when he changed gears and came to a stop. A month later he had his learners license, which meant that he could drive with a licensed person in the car with him.
Easter came and all the boys went home for a the break, they actually had from Good Friday through to the following weekend off as school, for the rest of New Zealand school resumed the Wednesday after Easter. As Bens father had to work Ben had a free time for the rest of the week. Normally he would have filled in time making models or reading, but on the Thursday he got bored and was finding it hard trying to decide what to do. Bruce was away visiting relatives so he couldnt go and visit him. Barry lived too far away, up in the King Country. His father managed a back country sheep station and it was an hour and half drive to Te Kuiti a small country town on gravel and narrow country sealed roads to town. Finally he got out his bike and pedaled down to the local library to get something to read. For lunch he would go to McDonalds and have a McChicken burger.
He spent a couple of hours in the library looking at books and picking a couple that he decided he would read, one being about flying, he went to the check out desk and then went off to the Golden Arches for lunch. After lunch he went to get his bike, but it was gone.
_d_a_m_n_, he thought, someone has pinched the bike. He went back into McDonalds and told the manager what had happened. The manager was a young guy, maybe in his middle twenties with Ross on his name tag.
"Did you have the bike locked up?"
"_s_h_i_t_, _s_h_i_t_, I forgot. Here is the chain and the lock," Ben said pulling them out of his bag.
"Im sorry, but I cant do much for you. I suggest that you report it to the police."
"Ok. Thanks."
Ben left the manager and walked along a couple of blocks to the police station where he reported the stolen bike. He added that his Dad was going to be angry because the bike was borrowed, and he had been told to take care.
The constable taking the particulars said, "I dont hold out much hope of finding the bike Ben. Most of them get broken down, painted in different colours then sold at auctions or garage sales. If we find it, we will let you or your Dad know."
Thanking him, Ben left the police station and trudged the 3 kilometers home, the books and the chain in his bag getting heavier as he walked. Bens Dad, Rob, was not amused at all when he heard about the incident when he came home the following weekend.
"Ben I thought that you were more responsible."
"I thought so too Dad, but I slipped up this time."
"Yes, but the bike was loaned to you and you should have taken more care."
"Yeah yeah yeah, just like the Beatles Dad. You sound like an old record."
"Listen to me young man....."
"Dad, Ive said Im sorry, what more do you want. Do you want me to grovel?"
"No son, all I want is for you to go to Mr Farmer and apologise sincerely for being careless.
"Ok Dad."
"Then when you get back from that we will deal with your other transgressions."
"What do you mean Dad?"
"We will talk about that when you get back here."
"Can I borrow the ute?"
"No son, you can walk."
"But Dad it is 3ks to Mr Farmers and then 3 ks home again."
"The walk will do you good, all along the way you can remember about taking more care of your things."
Without saying anything more Ben left the house shutting the front door after him loudly. It was not quite a slam. Ben fumed as he walked towards Mr Farmer's home. He thought to himself, It was just an old bike, why is Dad so up tight about it? What about my other transgressions? By the time he got to Mr Farmers he was hot and bothered. Ben apologized and Mr Farmer accepted the apology. He then gave Ben a ride home as he was going that way.
So an hour after he had left, he was home again.
"Im back Dad. Mr Farmer gave me a ride back because he was coming this way to visit someone."
"Well Ben, have you had a think about what has gone on today?"
"Yeah Dad I have and I have apologised for it. Are you going to keep on about it?"
"Yes I am son, because you dont seem to be getting the message."
"What do you mean. As I have said already, I have apologised. How many times do you want to hear that?"
"No I dont want to hear that again Ben. Evidently the message is taking a while to get through. What I am talking about is your attitude. There is not much there to be admired. What I am looking for is sincerity in your apology, not just Im sorry."
Ben looked at his father, "Dad, Im not getting the message, to me you are just nagging."
"Benjamin Wishart, that is it young man. Go to your room I will be there shortly after I have calmed down. We will continue the conversation there."
This time the bedroom door shut with a loud bang. Ten minutes later Rob went to Bens room, knocking on the door he went in. Ben was sitting at his desk looking a little apprehensive.
"Well Ben have you got the message yet?"
"What Ive got is an attitude according to you, and I suppose that you are going to adjust it."
"Do you think that it needs adjusting Ben?"
"I.....I dont know Dad. I thought that I was doing every thing ok."
"You were son, and I love you for it, but the last few weeks you have been going away over the top, getting very cheeky with me and from what I understand at school also. I think that it is time you were stopped before you go too far and get into serious trouble."
"I suppose your mate Bill Kerry has been carrying tales."
"Ben, that is exactly what I mean. What you could have said was Did you hear that from Mr Kerry? Or better still, did you read it in my progress report which is where I got the information."
"Ok then, what now?"
"You still have an attitude problem son." When Ben didnt say anything, Rob went on, "I want you to go into the garden and bring back three switches. They are to be flexible, not too thick, not too thin, about the same thickness as the canes at school. When you have got them, come back here. You have got five minutes, go now."
The colour fled from Bens face, leaving it pale, and washed out. He suddenly realised that he had pushed his father too far. Without saying anything he got up and left the room, as he left Rob handed him his pocket knife to cut the switches with. Rob had listened to his mate Bill Kerry, he had advised that Ben needed taking down a peg or two, and had suggested that a good hiding from his Dad, might do the trick. He had told Rob that Ben behaved for quite a while after he had had his backside well tanned.
Ben arrived back in his bedroom to find his father sitting at his desk. He showed the switches that he had cut to his father and asked, "What happens now?"
"Lets look at those switches first." After checking them, bending them to check the flexibility and then standing up, "Ok, these are good. I want you to drop your jeans and bend over the back of your chair."
"But Dad......," suddenly remembering what had happened last time he had tried to weasel his way out of a whacking, he lowered his jeans to his knees and bent over the back of his chair, putting his hands on the seat.
"Down further Ben, hold the front legs of the chair as far down as you can. Dont try to cover your backside or get up until I tell you. Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir."
"Ben I was going to give you fifteen on the bare backside, but because I love you and I think that you are basically a good son I am giving you ten on the underpants. These will be hard, because I dont want to do this again, I hope you understand."
Without anything further being said Rob cracked down the first stroke. It landed with a thud-crack about halfway down Bens buttocks. Ben didnt move. The next stroke whistled down, this time Rob aimed for the chair instead of Bens buttocks. Ben winced and clenched his buttocks and then relaxed them again. The third and fourth strokes followed with ten seconds between them. Ben was wincing and moving at each stroke.
The fifth and then the sixth, by now Rob was moving down to Bens lower buttocks, and as each stroke fell Ben was letting out yelps and ouches. Rob knew that Ben was in pain, so without decreasing the force of his strokes, he increased the speed so that they were landing every five seconds.
Ben had taken nine heavy strokes. His bum felt as though it had been sliced open and then some. He could feel moisture trickling down his legs and thought, _s_h_i_t_ Im bleeding. There was a longer pause, then the last stroke arrived. It was a corker and it broke the switch.
"Ok Ben, you can stand up and come and get a hug if you want one."
Ben stood slowly, his face a mess of tears and snot from his nose. Rob handed him some tissues and grabbed him into a hug. There was no resistance.
"Im sorry Dad, Im.....really sorry."
"I know you are son. I love you," as he was speaking rob was soothing Ben by gently rubbing his upper back. "After you have calmed down a bit, come out to the kitchen and have your supper, ok?"
"Ok Dad."
Rob left the room as Ben was still gently clutching his buttocks, he hadnt bother to pull up his jeans.